Jar cap remover

ABSTRACT

A cap removing device consisting essentially of a base member formed of thermo-plastic material, and having an opening, the opening being more or less of tear-drop shape, with one side having in part, a convex curve, and the other side having a concave curve, and with a metallic strip member embedded in the thermo-plastic material along-side the convex side with one edge of the metallic strip member exposed and extending into the opening, there being saw-toothed formations along such exposed edge.

United States Patent Muir et al.

JAR CAP REMOVER Inventors: Eric Thomas Muir, Toronto; Jack SmithHamnett, Thornhill; Ronald Alfred Majury, Willowdale, all of Ontario. Canada [73] Assignee: Trixco Inc., Rochester, NY.

[22] Filed: June 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 157,427

[52] US. Cl. 8l/3.4

[51] int. Cl. B67b 7/18 [58] Field of Search 8l/3.4, 3.3 R, 3.34,8l/57.33, 57.35, 120

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,707,804 4/1929 Haase8]/3.4

1,841,270 9/1932 Aeschbach et al.....

2,053,246 9/1936 Lurcott 81/34 Sept. 25, 1973 2,856,804 10/1968 Whiteley8l/3.4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 326,394 3/l930 Great Britain 81/120Primary Examinerl-larold D. Whitehead Assistant ExaminerRoscoe V. ParkerAttorneyGeorge A. Rolston [5 7 ABSTRACT A cap removing device consistingessentially of a base member formed of thermo-plastic material, andhaving an opening, the opening being more or less of tear-drop shape,with one side having in part, a convex curve, and the other side havinga concave curve, and with a metallic strip member embedded in thethermo-plastic material along-side the convex side with one edge of themetallic strip member exposed and extending into the opening, therebeing saw-toothed formations along such exposed edge.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEPZSMH 3 780,657

Inventors ERIC T. MUIR JACK S. HAMNETT RONALD A. MAJURY PMEM'EU3.760.657

sum 2 or 2 JACK S. HAMNETT RONALD A. MAJURY JAR CAP REMOVER The presentinvention relates to a device for removing caps from screw top jars.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Difficulties are frequently experienced withthe removal of caps from jars, bottles and the like having screw tops.Such bottles and jars come in many different sizes, and although in thesmaller sizes the caps can usually be loosened with a pair of householdpliers, the removal of the larger sizes of caps presents a greaterproblem.

Many different devices have been proposed in the prior art to alleviatethis problem. One class of such devices is the type in which a metalplate is provided with a generally V-shaped recess or slot, having aserrated or sawtoothed edge down one side. The jar top is inserted intothe slot, and is pressed firmly into engagement with the serrated edgeon the one side of the slot, and the jar is then rotated. Examples ofsuch earlier cap removers are shown in U.S. Letters Pat. Nos. 1,707,804;1,841,270; and 2,856,804, to give only a few examples of the differentpatents relating tothis particular type of device.

In theory, and according to the explanations given in the variouspatents in this field, all that the householder has to do to remove thecap is simply to insert the jar cap into the slot, and force the capinto engagement with the serrated edge or teeth down the one side of theslot, and then simply rotate the jar. According to the principle ofoperation of such devices, the cap will be firmly held by the serratededge or the saw teeth and the jar will be rotated. However, this is notexactly what happens in practice. Usually, with all of such devices, thejar cap will, in fact, rotate with the jar, and will not be held by theserrated edge down the one side of the slot. The reason for this is thatthe slot is V-shaped, and as the saw teeth attempt to grip one side ofthe cap, the pressure applied to the opposite side of the cap by theother side of the V-shaped slot will cause a resultant force tending toeject the cap from the slot. If it is attempted to overcome this byapplying greater pressure to the jar to force the cap deeper into theslot, then it becomes difficult to rotate the jar, with the result thatthe cap will sometimes slip out of the slot, and in some cases, the jarcan even be broken as a result. One patent which appears to provide apartial solution to this problem in U.S. Pat. No. 1,841,270. I In thispatent, an additional gripping action is provided by means of a slidinggripping member adapted to slide down one side of the slot and engagethe cap at two spaced points, rather than at a single point on itscircumference. However, this solution was not satisfactory. In the firstplace, it greatly increased the manufacturing cost of the article. Inaddition, it is not generally speaking desirable to grip the cap firmlyon both sides. What is required is a device in which the teeth will gripthe cap on one side, and on which the opposite side of the slot permitsthe cap to slide deeper into the slot as the teeth bite deeper into thecap.

Another problem which is experienced with such devices is the fact thatin order to make them at a sufficiently low price, the teeth are usuallyformed by stamping them out of the sheet metal from which the remainderof the article is made. This usually results in the formation ofrelatively weak teeth out of inferior material, such that they soonbecome blunt and ineffec- The present invention seeks to overcome thedisadvantages of such prior art cap removers by the provision of a capremoving device consisting essentially of a plate-like member formed oftheremo-plastic material, and having an opening, the opening being moreor less of tear-srop shape, with one side thereof having a convex curve,and the other side thereof having a concave curve, and with a metallicstrip member embedded in the thermo-plastic material alongside theconvex side, with one edge of the metallic strip member exposed andextending into the opening, there being sawtoothed formations along suchexposed edge.

Preferably, the device according to the invention is provided with screwholes or other means for fastening the same in any suitable position ina kitchen, such as, for example, underneath a kitchen cabinet or thelike.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device having theforegoing advantages in which the metallic strip member is held inposition in the thermoplastic base member in such a way that it will bespaced from the underside of a kitchen cabinet or other such surface towhich the device may be attached.

The foregoing and other advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention whichis given here by way of example only with reference to the followingdrawings in which like reference devices refer to like parts thereofthroughout the various views and diagrams.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrationof the cap removing device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectionalong the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration showing a method of calculating theradius of a location of the respective convex and concave curves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings, it will be seen that this preferred embodiment of theinvention comprises a base member 10 having a front surface 11 and arear surface 12. The base member 10 being of thermoplastic material, andformed by injection moulding techniques, may be formed in any desiredshape or configuration, but preferably, the rear surface 12 will be flatso as to permit the same to lie flat on a mounting surface, such as theunderside of a kitchen cabinet (not shown). The front surface 11 of themember 10 may have a slight curve or contouring as shown in FIG. 2, andthe side edges of the member 10 may be formed in the generally siz-sidedshape as shown, although this is a mere matter of preference.

In order to permit attachment of the base member 10 in position, thescrew holes 13 may be provided.

Member 10 is formed with a cap receiving openig 14 which will be seen tobe of generally tear-drop shape, and defining a convex side 15 and aconcave side 16, and having a narrow end 17 and a wide end 18.

In order to permit the acceptance of a wide range of sizes of caps, thewide end 18 of the opening 14 is of more or less circular shape so thatin fact, both sides of such wide end 18 are of concave contour, the side15 being of convex contour along only part of its length as shown. Thus,the side 15 of opening 14 is in fact of generally S-shape in plan.

With reference to FIG. 5, the convex side 15, and the concave side 16are preferably formed with different radii, and about different centres,the radius of the concave side 16 preferably being substantially greaterthan the radius of the convex side 15 for maximum efficiency. In FIG. 5,the radius of the convex side 15 is shown as R1, and the radius of theconcave side 16 is shown as R2. A circle C is shown as representing themaximum designed cap diameter, the circle C having a diameter D.

While no specific formula or calculation has been made which can beestablished as applying to all possible cases, by a process of trial anderror, it has been established that a highly effective device can bemanufactured according to the invention by observing certain practicaldesign rules. Thus to start with, the designer must select the maximumdesigned cap diameter which can be accommodated by the device, and thiswill be the dimension D. A circle C is then drawn having a diameter D. Ahorizntal base line B is then drawn, passing should be approximately notless than about 1/10 of an inch apart, and preferably more.

Clearly, the bar member 19 may be embedded in the thermo-plastic basemember 10 either during moulding, or afterwards in a subsequentfastening operation. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, thebase member 10 is shown formed with a recess 21 formed in the rearsurface 12 of the member 10 around the extent of the convex side 15 ofthe opening 14. Preferably, it will be noted that the recess 21 is of adepth equal to about twice the thickness of the bar member 19 whereby tolocate the bar member 19 spaced away from the surface upon which thebase member 10 may be mounted.

For greater strength, the base member 10 is of more or less hollowshell-like formation as shown in FIGS 2, 3 and 4, having outer sidewalls 22 and the recess 21 is formed by an inwardly offset wall member23 extending around recess 21 defining a shape corresponding to theprofile of bar member l9. Reinforcing ribs 24 extend at spaced intervalsbetween outer side wall 22 and wall member 23 on the convex side 15 ofslot 14 and between outer side wall 22 and the wall member 16a on theconcave side 16 of slot 14.

Bar member 19 is preferably formed with a plurality of fastening holes25 and thermo-plastic pin members i 26 are moulded integrally with theinwardly offset wall through the centre of the circle C, and will extendoutwardly to the left of the circle C as shown, and a vertical referenceline V is drawn at right angles thereto also passing through the centreof cap C. The convex side 15 is then drawn in. by describing an arc ofacircle having a radius equal to approximately the same dimension as thediameter D of the circle C. This arc, which is represented by the arc15, will be drawn in so that it is tangential to circle C and to theline V. Having drawn in this are, the arc for the side 16 must then bedrawn in. The radius of the arc 16 which is shown as R2 will preferablybe in the region. of between about 2 and 2 and A times R1. The are 16 isdrawn in, by selecting a point along the base line B at which the are 16will be tangential to the circle C as shown. When drawn in, the arcs l6and 15 will closely approach one another or in fact intersect at a pointwhich is more or less vertically above or slightly to the left of thevertical line V as shown. Obviously in the manufacture of the devices,since the circle C represents the maximum cap diameter, the large end 18of the device simply represents a continuous are (not shown) establishedbetween the arcs 15 and 16.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that there is fastened within thebase member 10, a metallic bar member 19 of relatively thick massiveconstruction, running along the convex edge 15 of the opening 14, andextending outwardly from such convex side 15. Serrations or saw teeth 20are formed continuously along the exposed edge of the bar member 19. Barmember 19 is also of generally S-shape in plan to conform to the shapeof side 15 of opening 14. Preferably, the serrations or saw teeth 20 arerelatively coarse and deep, so as to effectively bite into the materialof the cap. It is found in practice that if the serrations 20 are of toofine a pitch, then they act simply like a file and wear away the surfaceof the cap without holding it. While no specific design criterion can belaid down for these dimensions, it is found in practice that for caps upto a maximum diameter of about four inches, the serrations 20 member 23and extend perpendicularly therefrom in registration with the holes 25.Washers or spacer members 27 fit around pin members 26, and the freeends of pin members 26 are thermo-formed, or formed by ultra-sonictechniques as at 28 to flow over part of the washers 27 and hold the barmember 19 in position.

In operation, the base member 10 will preferably be mounted on theunderside of a kitchen cabinet or the like, (not shown) so that itsfront surface 1 1 will be directed downwardly. In order to remove a jarcap, the jar is held upright in the hand, and the cap is inserted intothe opening 14 and pressed towards the narrow end 17 until it is wedgedbetween the teeth 20 and the concave side 16. The jar is then rotated,and as it rotates, the teeth 20 will grip the cap on one side. However,on the other side, that is to say, the side of the cap corresponding tothe concave side 16 of the slotted opening 14, the cap will be free torotate and enter more deeply into the slotted opening 14, thereby stillfurther increasing the gripping action of the teeth 20. Due to the factthat the concave edge 16 is perfectly smooth, the cap of the jar can, infact, slide along it quite easily. In addition, due to the fact that theconcave edge or side 16 is of a radius considerably greater than theradius of the convex side 15, in the order of between 2 and 2% times asgreat in fact, the side of the cap in contact with the concave edge orside 16 will tend to move therealong to quite a substantial extent.whereas the side of the cap in contact with the serrations 20 on theconvex side 15 will tend to be held more or less static. This willresult in the two or three teeth or serrations 20 in contact with thecap in fact biting deeper and deeper into the material of the cap andthereby ensuring a progressively firmer grip. This type of movement isto be distinguished from the type.

What I claim is:

1. Cap remover for containers such as jars and the like having rotatableor twistable caps and comprising:

a base member defining sides and at least one end;

front and rear surfaces defined by said base member,

said rear surface being shaped to permit said base reinforcing meansforming part of said base member adjacent said convex side of saidopening, said reinforcing means being inwardly offset with respect tosaid opening means;

a metallic bar member mounted along said convex side, adjacent to saidinwardly offset reinforcing means, and,

tooth means formed along one side of said bar memher.

2. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base member isformed of thermo-plastic material, and including wall means defined bysaid base member, running continuously around said opening means alongboth said sides and said narrow and wide ends, completely enclosing thesame.

3. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said convex side is ofgenerally S-shape in plan defining a portion of convex contour, and afurther portion" of concave contour, and including metallic bar means,of generally S-shape in plan mounted along said side, said tooth meansbeing formed along an exposed edge of said bar means.

4. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base member is ofgenerally hollow shell-like construction defining a continuous outerwall, and inner wall means alongside either side and both ends of saidopening means, and transverse rib members extending between said innerand outer wall means.

5. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base member isformed of syntheticthermo-plastic material, and defines a continuousrecess along said convex side, and including synthetic thermo-plasticpin members formed integrally with said base member and extendingtherefrom within said recess, and metallic bar means defining aplurality of holes adapted to register with said pin members, said barmeans being shaped to conform to and fitting within said recess, withsaid pin members extending through said hole means therein with the freeends of said pin members exposed therethrough, said free ends of saidpin members being deformed to retain said bar means in position therein,and said tooth means being formed along an exposed edge of said barmeans.

6. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said convex sidedescribes an arc having a predetermined radius of curvature, and whereinthe said concave side describes an arc having a predetermined radius ofcurvature equal to between about 2 and 2.5 times said radius ofcurvature of said convex side.

7. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 including elongated metallic barmeans mounted along said convex side of said base member, said toothmeans being formed along one edge of said bar means, and wherein saidbar means is arranged to lie in a predetermined plane lying between saidrear surface and said front surface of said base member, and spaced fromsaid rear surface, whereby to engage the edge of a cap a distance belowthe top of such cap.

8. Cap remover for containers such as jars and the like having rotatableor twistable caps and comprising:

a base member defining sides and at least one end; from and rearsurfaces defined by said base member,

said rear surface being shaped to permit said base member to lie flat ona plane surface;

cap receiving opening means in said base member having a narrow end anda wide end and two sides, one said side curving in a convex contouralong at least part of its length and them other said side curving in aconcave contour along at least part of its length;

elongated metallic bar means mounted along said convex side of said basemember, and,

tooth means formed along one edge of said bar means, said bar meansbeing arranged to lie in a predetermined plane lying between said rearsurface and said front surface of said base member, and spaced from saidrear surface, whereby to engage the edge of a cap a distance below thetop of such cap.

1. Cap remover for containers such as jars and the like having rotatableor twistable caps and comprising: a base member defining sides and atleast one end; front and rear surfaces defined by said base member, saidrear surface being shaped to permit said base member to lie flat on aplane surface; cap receiving opening means in said base member having anarrow end and a wide end and two sides, one said side curving in aconvex contour along at least part of its length and the other said sidecurving in a concave contour along at least part of its length;reinforcing means forming part of said base member adjacent said convexside of said opening, said reinforcing means being inwardly offset withrespect to said opening means; a metallic bar member mounted along saidconvex side, adjacent to said inwardly offset reinforcing means, and,tooth means formed along one side of said bar member.
 2. A cap removeras claimed in claim 1 wherein said base member is formed ofthermo-plastic material, and including wall means defined by said basemember, running continuously around said opening means along both saidsides and said narrow and wide ends, completely enclosing the same.
 3. Acap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said convex side is ofgenerally S-shape in plan defining a portion of convex contour, and afurther portion of concave contour, and including metallic bar means ofgenerally S-shape in plan mounted along said side, said tooth meansbeing formed along an exposed edge of said bar means.
 4. A cap removeras claimed in claim 1 wherein said base member is of generally hollowshell-like construction defining a continuous outer wall, and inner wallmeans alongside either side and both ends of said opening means, andtransverse rib members extending between said inner and outer wallmeans.
 5. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base memberis formed of synthetic thermo-plastic material, and defines a continuousrecess along said convex side, and including synthetic thermo-plasticpin members formed integrally with said base member and extendingtherefrom within said recess, and metallic bar means defining aplurality of holes adapted to register with said pin members, said barmeans being shaped to conform to and fitting within said recess, withsaid pin members extending through said hole means therein with the freeends of said pin members exposed therethrough, said free ends of saidpin members being deformed to retain said bar means in position therein,and said tooth means being formed along an exposed edge of said barmeans.
 6. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said convexside describes an arc having a predetermined radius of curvature, andwherein the said concave side describes an arc having a predeterminedradius of curvature equal to between about 2 and 2.5 times said radiusof curvature of said convex side.
 7. A cap remover as claimed in claim 1including elongated metallic bar means mounted along said convex side ofsaid base member, said tooth means being formed along one edge of saidbar means, and wherein said bar means is arranged to lie in apredetermined plane lying between said rear surface and said frontsurface of said base member, and spaced from said rear surface, wherebyto engage the edge of a cap a distance below the top of such cap.
 8. Capremover for containers such as jars and the like having rotatable ortwistable caps and comprising: a base member defining sides and at leastone end; front and rear surfaces defined by said base member, said rearsurface being shaped to permit said base member to lie flat on a planesurface; cap receiving opening means in said base member having a narrowend and a wide end and two sides, one said side curving in a convexcontour along at least part of its length and the other said sidecurving in a concave contour along at least part of its length;elongated metallic bar means mounted along said convex side of said basemember, and, tooth means formed along one edge of said bar means, saidbar means being arranged to lie in a predetermined plane lying betweensaid rear surface and said front surface of said base member, and spacedfrom said rear surface, whereby to engage thE edge of a cap a distancebelow the top of such cap.